Ronnie O’Sullivan crashed out of the World Championship as conqueror Luca Brecel revealed his unorthodox partying preparation to beating the seven-time world champion in their Sheffield quarter-final.
Belgian world number 10 Brecel revealed he got “drunk as hell” after beating Mark Williams to set up his Crucible date with O’Sullivan.
Brecel, 28, told the BBC: “Before the tournament I was out partying and staying up late until 6 or 7am, playing FIFA with my friends, having drinks and not practising.
“Even after I beat Mark Williams I got home at 7am by car, and that same day we went out again until five or six in the morning.
Woooooow.#CazooWorldChampionship | @CazooUK
— World Snooker Tour (@WeAreWST) April 26, 2023
“I was drunk as hell. The next day I had to drive back up again, so it’s a totally different preparation.”
O’Sullivan, resuming 10-6 ahead, failed to make a single break over 30 as Brecel rattled off seven successive frames to book a semi-final date with either Anthony McGill or Si Jiahui.
“I didn’t put up any resistance but you’ve still got to pot the balls,” O’Sullivan said. “I wasn’t playing well enough to have any impact on the game.
“If it was a boxing match they would have stopped it very early on. I was just pinching frames and hanging on.
“There’s only so much hanging on you can do at the Crucible. It catches up with you at some point, and someone will eventually put you away.”
O’Sullivan then inexplicably missed a black off its spot and Brecel split the pack of reds to take advantage with a 112 clearance.
The next frame followed the same pattern as O’Sullivan, stretching over a long red, let in Brecel again.
Brecel capitalised with a 64 break and, although he missed a red that would have left O’Sullivan requiring a snooker, he eventually reduced arrears to 10-9.
O’Sullivan was in desperate need of the interval, but contributions of 61, 78 and 63 ended the contest in quick fashion and put the 47-year-old out of his misery.
“He played unbelievable,” O’Sullivan said. “He’s such a good player, I love watching him play.
“His cue action, he gets through the ball so well. It’s incredible. The whip he gets on the white, the top spin, the thud he hits the ball with.
“I’d love to see him go and win it because that’s how snooker should be played. He’s a phenomenal talent and player.”
Mark Selby comfortably advanced past fellow four-time champion John Higgins 13-7 to set up a semi-final against Mark Allen.
Selby had trailed 4-1 after making a slow start to the match on Tuesday.
“He’s the man to beat”
Mark Selby gets the better of John Higgins to reach the semi finals ?@WeAreWST | #CazooWorldChampionship pic.twitter.com/DUiprI0R5n
— Eurosport (@eurosport) April 26, 2023
But he fought back and won five of the six frames played during a shortened afternoon session to lead 9-5.
Selby was in no mood to let his control slip and a stunning long red after the restart set up a 64 break that would prove decisive.
Higgins responded with some excellent safety play and 65 that provided hope that he could mount a comeback, although Selby moved to within one frame of victory with contributions of 67 and 84.
The Scot answered with 102 – his first century of the match – but Selby was not to be denied and a wonderfully compiled 59 secured his path to the last four.
????? ??????? ??? ??? ????? ????? ?
Mark Allen has beaten Jak Jones 13-10 to reach the Crucible semi finals for the second time!
The Pistol will face Mark Selby or John Higgins. #CazooWorldChampionship pic.twitter.com/PuxNYKoEmB
— World Snooker Tour (@WeAreWST) April 26, 2023
Allen reached the semi-finals for just the second time in his career with a hard-fought 13-10 win over qualifier Jak Jones.
“It was never in doubt was it?” a relieved Allen joked after reaching the last four at the Crucible for the first time since 2009.
“It was a complete slog to be honest. The first session was really good but I was awful after that and it was just a matter of digging deep, trying to stay as positive as possible and trying to get 13 frames. That’s what I did.
“I felt like as the match went on he was getting more edgy but I wasn’t playing well enough to capitalise, so it was just a matter of staying patient and taking my chances when they came.”
